This year marks the 178th Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the EIS which will be held at the Caird Hall in Dundee. The theme for this year’s event will be “Stand up for Quality Education.” The AGM is the main decision making body of the EIS. AGM instructs Council, which in turn instructs the Committees of the Council.
Around 350 members of the EIS, including the Office Bearers, members of Council and delegates from local associations and self-governing associations (EIS-FELA and EIS-ULA) are eligible to attend and vote at the AGM.
Here we describe the key events that take place over the course of the AGM and the order of business for this year’s conference.
The Formal Opening Session
This session embodies the traditions of the Institute which was founded in 1847. The President, Paula McEwan from Inverclyde, welcomes the guests from kindred organisations in the United Kingdom and Ireland, together with other trade union and official guests, before giving her Presidential address.
Then the Convener of the Board of Examiners presents the members who have been admitted as Fellows of the EIS.
The incoming President (Allan Crosbie, Edinburgh) and Vice-President (Adam Sutcliffe, Aberdeenshire) will then be introduced to the meeting and make short speeches.
First Business Session
This session is extremely important as it is where the AGM is able to review the work of Council and its Committees over the past twelve months. This work comes before the consideration and debating of motions dealing with new policies.
Consideration of Motions and Amendments
The remainder of the AGM is taken up with debating the motions and amendments which have been submitted by Council, local associations and self-governing associations. The outcome of these motions will determine the priorities and work of the EIS in the year ahead. The motions and amendments are grouped into subject headings and blocks of time are allocated to motions under each heading.
This year there are 70 motions to be debated as follows:
- 24 on Education matters;
- 7 on Employment Relations matters;
- 5 on Equality matters;
- 14 on Salaries matters;
- 19 on Organisation matters;
- 1 emergency motion
Fringe and other events
This year, the EIS will be holding two separate fringe events focussed on different aspects of our Stand Up for Quality Education campaign. These are entitled “Stand up to Poverty, Fund ASN” and “Workload and Wellbeing.”
This year, several invited speakers will address the AGM, this includes the Cabinet Secretary for Education, Jenny Gilruth. She will deliver a speech outlining the Scottish Government’s priorities for education in the year ahead and take part in a Q&A session.
Regular updates will be posted on the AGM section of our website, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter accounts throughout the event, so that members can keep updated as resolutions are agreed.
See www.eis.org.uk for full information on the motions to be debated at the AGM.